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This invention relates generally to the field of wall mounted enclosures for electronic equipment and in particular to wall mounted water resistant enclosures for electronic equipment.
Enclosures for mounting electrical equipment such as computer network interfaces, telecommunications equipment, junction boxes, and connector panels are often mounted in racks or secured to a wall to provide the necessary physical stability and to maximize the use of the available space. Although these enclosures may be deployed indoors, the enclosures nonetheless must be water resistant to protect the electronic equipment from potential hazards, such as a leak in a water pipe, a leak in a roof or broken window allowing water to enter the building, or the activation of a fire suppression water sprinkler system. Equipment in wall mounted enclosures may be more susceptible to water damage than rack mounted equipment because one side of the enclosure is secured to the wall and may prevent water from flowing off the top of enclosure in a controlled manner.
Prior art wall mounted enclosures have used various methods to provide water resistance to the enclosures. In the past, clips have been used to secure the cover over and around the electronic equipment and to allow for easy removal of the cover for servicing of the equipment contained inside. Clips, however, have several difficulties. For example, in many instances, the clips may be secured when the cover is not properly aligned or oriented. This can lead to open seams occurring between the cover and mounting brackets that can allow water to enter the enclosure. It can be difficult to provide an alignment mechanism to ensure that the cover is secured properly when using a clip system. This lack of an alignment mechanism contributes to making the installation of the enclosure that much more difficult and less secure.
In addition, the enclosure may flex and bend during the cover installation and removal processes. This flexing and bending of the cover may increase the likelihood that the enclosure is not installed incorrectly. Thus, stiffening of the enclosure may be needed to provide the structural stability necessary to allow for the proper manual alignment of the cover during the cover installation and removal processes. This stiffening, however, adds to the physical dimensions of the enclosure increasing its weight and cost, and making it more difficult use.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an enclosure that is water resistant and that can be installed and removed with proper alignment and orientation of the cover in a simple and reliable manner.
In accordance with the present invention an improved water resistant enclosure is provided that includes a three-sided removable cover that is pivotally attached to an L-shaped wall mounting bracket. The wall mounting bracket is rigidly attached to a wall surface. The water resistant enclosure further includes an enclosure door attached to a front opening of the water resistant enclosure to completely enclose any electronic equipment contained within the enclosure. A pivot member is rigidly attached to the interior side of a top side of the three-sided removable cover and a pivot member receiver is rigidly attached to the interior of the back panel. The pivot member and the pivot member receiver are configured and arranged such that the three-sided removable cover can be pivoted and removed without damaging the enclosure, the wall mounting bracket, or the wall. Moreover, there is no seam or other opening in the top cover through which water can intrude into the enclosure.
The three-sided removable cover and wall mounting bracket also include a self alignment mechanism that ensures that the three-sided removable cover is properly aligned and oriented in order to mate properly with the wall mounting bracket and thereby ensure that the enclosure is water resistant. In addition, an overhang extending from the top side wall covers the front opening and the seam created between the enclosure door and the cover, and a gutter surrounds the front opening, to divert water away from the front opening. In another aspect of the present invention, two pairs of complementary shaped hooks are rigidly attached to the interior of the two side walls and to the base plate of the wall mounting bracket. When properly aligned and oriented, the complementary shaped hooks are coupled together and prevent vertical motion of the enclosure with respect to the wall mounting bracket.